Betrayal's Sting
by Ronda Sexton
Summary: Tom knows his relationship with Kathyrn will never be the same after serving 30 days in the brig. JP


  
Title: Betrayal's Sting  
Author: Ronda Sexton  
Series: Voyager-AU  
Pairing: J/P  
Parts: 1/1  
Rating: PG13  
  
Summary: After 30 days in the Brig, Tom knows things can never be the  
same again.  
  
Betrayal's Sting  
by: Ronda Sexton  
  
Tom sleepily turned over and stared at Tuvok. He was finally getting  
out of the brig. The 30 days were up. He stood up and walked out of the  
holding cell, fully intending to follow Tuvok's suggestion about shaving.  
  
He walked solemnly down the corridors. Sympathetic looks came from the  
crew  
members he passed. He nodded to acknowledge them. Word had trickled in  
to  
him that most of the crew was not at all pleased with Janeway's  
decision.  
They had agreed with Tom in principle.  
  
He entered his quarters. They were the same as he'd left them 30 days  
ago.  
A stab of pain went through him as he stared at her pink gown and robe  
laying  
on the floor by his bed. The night before his fateful mission, they had  
made  
passionate love, Kathryn had called his name out over and over again as  
waves  
of pleasure consumed her body......  
  
He banished the thought from his mind and walked right over them as he  
headed  
to the bathroom to shave and shower. As he soaped his body under the  
stream  
of blissfully warm water, he knew he had made the right decision while  
he was  
in the brig. He knew he could never trust her again. Why she'd at  
first  
planned to destroy the Delta Flyer with him on board before she had to  
destroy the charge he'd fired at the reactor. He had been devastated  
upon  
hearing that.  
  
After changing into a fresh uniform, he began to pack up all of her  
belongings  
in a bag. He no longer loved her. In fact he could not feel anything.  
A  
familiar emptiness engulfed him. He still had his friends here on  
Voyager. He  
knew that, but he no longer had a person he loved and cherished.  
Kathyrn had  
killed every scrap of love he had for her.  
  
Finally, when all of her belongings had been packed, he inquired of the  
computer to find out where the Captain was. He sighed when he learned  
she  
was in her Ready Room. This would make it so much easier. He did not  
want  
to see her yet. With a firm resolve, he took the bag and headed for her  
quarters.  
  
Once he reached them, he keyed in the access code and entered quietly.  
He  
emptied her belongings on her desk, where he knew she would have no  
trouble  
finding them. Then he speedily packed up all of his belongings and left  
  
without delay.  
  
He had somehow managed to perform the task with no one seeing him. He  
was  
glad. He did not want to answer any questions at the moment. Checking  
the  
time, he found he had enough time to replicate a pizza for is lunch  
before  
his duty shift began. The steamy pizza was comforting. He recalled  
asking  
for a pizza while in the brig, only to be told that he could only have  
basic  
nutritional requirements. He saw the apologetic look Neelix gave him on  
the  
days he had to eat the Leola Root.  
  
Sighing, he put the leftovers in the replicator and pressed the recycle  
button. It was time to report to the bridge to fly the ship. Somehow in  
spite of it all, she had not removed him as Chief Con Officer.  
  
The turbolift doors opened and he walked onto the bridge without a  
word. He saw sympathetic looks cast his way by the crew. He forced a smile to  
show them he was okay. Without a word to anyone, he assumed the seat at the  
helm as soon as it was vacated. He listened carefully to the report on  
status and nodded.  
  
The shift was uneventful. No attacks like the one that had occurred  
while he  
was in the brig. He was glad. He could feel her looking at him. He  
wondered  
if she held any illusions that they could still be lovers after her  
betrayal.  
If she did, well that was too damn bad. Hell would freeze over before  
that  
would happen. He was glad when his shift was over.  
  
As soon as he had briefed his relief, he strode to the turbolift without  
as  
much as a glance to the Captain. He went to the mess hall to get a  
tray.  
B'Elanna, Harry, and Seven invited him to join them. Upon his quiet  
request,  
they began updating him on the happenings aboard ship while he was in  
the brig.  
  
Kathryn Janeway entered the turbolift with a sigh. Tom had certainly  
done his job properly, but certainly had not been himself. She decided to  
have dinner in the mess hall. When she entered, conversation lulled for a  
few moments, then resumed. She saw Tom surrounded by his friends among the  
crew. She knew her decision had not been popular among the crew. No matter,  
she was sure Tom understood. Tonight, they'd be together again. The thirty  
days had been hard on her too. She loved Tom with all her heart and did not  
want to see him suffer. However, he'd brought it all on himself. Tonight's  
reunion would be intense and passionate she was sure.  
  
Deciding Tom's friends needed some time to spend with him without the  
"Captain," she sat at a table and watched them. Occasionally, someone  
looked at her with a disapproving stare. It did not bother her any more than  
the ones she'd been getting since putting Tom in the brig.  
  
She put her dirty dishes in the recycler and headed to her quarters. As  
she walked, she planned the message she would send Tom. Tonight would mark  
their reunion. She walked in her quarters and stopped in shock. There on her  
desk were her belongings along with a PADD. She walked over to the desk and  
picked up the PADD with shaking hands.  
  
She activated and read the message.  
  
It is over. I have returned your belongings and taken mine back to my  
quarters. I could never trust you with my heart again.  
  
There was no signature. She dropped the PADD on her desk as tears began  
toflood her eyes.  
  
THE END  



End file.
